Spindle-bearing.



C. A. SMITH.

SPINDLE BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. II, I9Is.

Patented June 6, 1916.-

\nvenor. Charles A.Sm'I-h,

UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEFicE.

CHARLES A. SMITH, 0F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

SPINDLE-BEARING.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Spindle-Bearings, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is, a speciiication, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to spindle bearings. In bearings of this type the pintle of the spindle is tapered and ts in a correspondingly tapered bearing in a bolster and is seated upon a step. It is essential that compensation be provided for wear between the pintle and the bolster in order that the spindle shall at all times fit accurately in the bearing and run true. It is also essential that if any bindingtakes place between the pintle and the bolster due to wear or to the occasional presence of dirt or foreign substance that this binding shall at once be relieved. Otherwise the power required to rotate the spindle is increased. It is also desirable that the spindle shall be capable of rotation in either direction so as to put either a right hand or left hand twist into the yarn as required. b v

The object of this invention'is to provide a bearing construction in which the parts shall be self-adjusting thus automatically to compensate for wear, prevent binding, and permit the spindle to run freely in either direction.

In the present invention these results are secured by the provision of means normally acting to elevate the bolster with respect to the step and of means acting upon the rotation of the bolster in either direction to depress the bolster with respect to the step, the conjoint action of the said elevating and depressing means being automatically to compensate for wear, prevent binding, and permit the spindle to run freely in either direction.

The nature and object of the invention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out 1n the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation partially iii longitudinal vertical cross section of an ordinary type of spindle and associated parts with the preferred form of this invention embodied therein; Fig. 2 is a view much enlarged in horizontal crosssection taken on the line 2-2 of IFig. 1; Fig. 8 is a View in perspective of the step illustrated in Fig. 1.

The supporting bolster case 1 which is held in place in the usual rail of the spindle frame between the support 2 and a nut threaded on the case at 3, the spindle 4 with its whirl 5 and tapering pintle 6 may all be of usual form and construction.

The bolster 7 is also of usual form tapered interiorly to correspond with the pintle 6 of the spindle and enable the latter to run freely therein. The bolster is mounted in the usual chamber 8 in the bolster case and is free to rotate in either direction therein.

The step upon which the pintle 6 is seated is located in the bottom of the chamber of the bolster casing and as shown separately in Fig. 3 comprises a cylindrical base 9 adapted to lit in the bottom of the bolster case and is provided at its periphery with a vertical groove 10. A pin 11 in the wall of the bolster case projects into the groove 10 and thus holds the step against rotation with respect to the bolster case. From the base 9 rises a cylindrical standard 12 which extends and fits into the lower end of the bearing in the bolster 7. The standard 12 is provided with a downwardly and inwardly inclined exterior cam surface 13 symmetrical with respect to the vertical aXis of the step. rIhis cam surface 13 is preferably a plane surface as illustrated. The bolster at its lower end is provided with a pin or projection 14 which when the step is disposed with the surface 13 at right angles to the pin nearly contacts with the said surface. A coiled or helical spring 15 of the proper tension is located between the lower end of the bolster and the upper end of the base 9 of the step and acts normally to elevate the bolster with respect to the step.

The tension of the spring 15 is such that under normal running' conditions it holds the bolster elevated so that there is an easy running fit between the pintle 6 of the spindle and the corresponding bearing of the bolster.

When in the rotation of the spindle wear takes place between its pintle and theV beari-ng of the bolster, or dirt or other foreign substance enters, the pintle binding against the bearing in the bolster causes the bolster to rotate with the spindle. This brings the pin 14 into contact with the cam surface 13 and by co-action of the pin 14 and this surface13 a camming action takes place drawing the bolster down with respect to the step and against the action of the spring 15. But immediately the bolster is drawn downwardly binding between its bearing and the pintle 6 of the spindle is relieved and the parts returned to normal position. Owing to the fact that the surface 13 is symmetrical with respect to the axis of the step it makes no difference in which direction the spindle is rotating because the action may be precisely the same in either case.

It will thus be seen that there is a balance between the action of the spring 15 normally tending to elevate the bolster and the conjoint action of the pin 14: and cam surface 13 normally acting to depress the bolster whenever the bolster is rotated in either direction by the binding of the spindle therein.

The construction thus provided is exceedingly simple, easily manufactured, and when once adjusted and assembled acts entirely automatically to compensate for wear, prevent binding and permit the spindle to run freely in either direction.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. ln'a spindle support a bolster case, a step, means for securing the step against rotation in the bolster case, a bolster provided with a tapering bearing and rotatably mounted in the bolster oase, a spindle having a tapering pintle mounted in the bolster and seated on said step,means normally acting to elevate the bolster with respect to the step, and means acting upon the rotation of the bolster in either -direction to depress the bolster with respect to the step, the conjoint action of said elevating and depressing means being automatically to compensate for wear, prevent binding, and permit the spindle to run freely in either direction.

2. In a spindle support a bolster case, a step provided with a downwardly and inclined exterior cam surface symmetrical with respect to the vertical axis of the step, means for securing the step against rotation in the bolster case, a bolster provided with a tapering bearing and rotatably mounted in the bolster case, a spindle having a tapering pintle mounted in the bolster and seated on said step, a spring seated between the bolster and the step and normally acting to elevate the bolster with respect to the step, and a projection from the bolster cooperating with said cam surface on the step upon the rotati-on of the bolster in either direction to depress the bolster with respect to the step, the conjoint action of said spring, projection and cam surface being automatically to compensate for wear, prevent binding and permit the spindle to run freely in either direction.

3. In a spindle support a bolster case, a step, means for securing the step against rotationv in the bolster case, a bolster provided with a tapering bearing and rotatably mounted in the bolster case, a spindle having a tapering pintle mounted in the bolster and seated on said step, a spring seated between the bolster and the step and normally acting to elevate the bolster with respect to the step, and means acting upon the rotation of the bolster in either direction to depress the bolster with respect to the step, the conjoint action o'f said spring and said depressing means being automatically to compensate for wear, prevent binding, and permit the spindle to run freely in either direction.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES A. SlVlITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente,

Washington, D. C. 

